cover image Without Mercy: A “Where Are They Now?” Mystery

Without Mercy: A “Where Are They Now?” Mystery

Toni L. P. Kelner, . . Five Star, $25.95 (281pp) ISBN 978-1-59414-478-3

Someone’s killing off the former cast members of ’70s sitcom Kissing Cousins in Kelner’s fab first “Where Are They Now?” mystery. Boston-based celebrity journalist Tilda Harper loves exploring America’s fascination with old TV programs and cult films. After Tilda’s nostalgic article “Curse of the Kissing Cousins ” in Entertain Me! mentions the curious deaths of two former cast members, the murder of a third suggests a serial killer with a show-specific agenda. Vincent Peters, one of Tilda’s tipsters and a huge Kissing Cousins fan, believes star Mercy Ashford will be next. Tilda’s investigation reveals Mercy walked off a movie set and vanished not long after Kissing Cousins was canceled. Is Mercy already dead, or is she the murderous psychopath? Kelner (Wed and Buried ) depicts Tilda’s search for the elusive actress as a merry chase through cyberspace and stacks of dusty magazines, adding in a little romance with sexy bodyguard Nick Tolomeo to keep things humming. (Jan.)